Cybersecurity experts warn of TSA PreCheck renewal scam
HOUSTON - More travelers have been signing up for TSA PreCheck to get through airport security faster, especially during the busy holiday rush. But cybersecurity experts say they've detected TSA PreCheck scams that can steal your money and personal information.
"We were able to step through each piece of that scam from beginning to end to see what would happen," said Crane Hassold, Director of Threat Intelligence for Cybersecurity Company Abnormal Security.
Hassold says they identified a phishing email claiming to be from Immigration Visa and Travel, inviting you to renew your TSA PreCheck membership.
"It looked pretty legitimate. All the red flags we teach people to look out for, the spelling errors, the grammatical errors weren’t really there. So it looks legitimate on its face," explained Hassold.
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But he says all the personal information the site asks for such as name, place of birth, passport number, can be used for identity theft.
He says the site tells you to pay the usual $85 fee at the interview. But look carefully. It also asks for $140 paid through PayPal. He says that was the giveaway.
"If you're making an actual payment for some government service, you're always going to have multiple other types of payment methods, like credit and debit cards," said Hassold.
The other tell-tale sign, he says, is that the emails come from .com addresses.
"Anything coming from the government is always going to be sent from a .gov address," said Hassold.
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Experts say many scams have become more realistic-looking, such as emails saying you're being charged for Norton LifeLock when you didn't order it. Or online retailers saying there's a problem with your account.
"What we're seeing is mostly scammers imitating businesses, mostly Amazon right now, claiming fraudulent activity on your account, trying to get you to call back and provide information," said Michael Pugh with Been Verified.
To apply for or renew TSA PreCheck membership, go directly to the TSA PreCheck website or to the Department of Homeland Security website.